Explain the working of antioxidant function?
The antioxidant function depends on the number of hydroxyl groups and their positions. Among the various derivatives, flavonoids are the most potent and retain their scavenging capacity even after chelation with the metal ions. Non-extractable polyphenols are apparently 15-30 times more effective than simple phenols. A point to note is that their ability to chelate metals also makes them act as pro-oxidants in situation when tissue injury causes release of iron/copper.